Drug committees in Swiss hospitals

Drug committees (DC) are responsible for drug selection in hospitals. At present, no normative guidelines for DC exist in Switzerland, as well as in most European countries. Therefore, a survey and characterisation of DC in Swiss hospitals with emphasis on the function of the hospital pharmacist within this committee has been carried out. A questionnaire was sent to hospital pharmacists in a leading position. The subjects were the characterisation of the DC, the drug formulary, non formulary drug requests, therapeutic guidelines, drug information, side-effects, and some figures on the hospital itself. Reference year was 2000. 52% (41/79) of the questionnaires were returned, A DC existed in 4/4 university, 11/12 Cantonal, 14/17 regional and 3/8 private hospitals. The committee consisted of 3 to 11 members on average, namely of physicians and hospital pharmacists, partially clinical pharmacologists, hospital administrators, and nurses. Clinical pharmacologists chaired the DC in university hospitals. In Cantonal as well as regional hospitals, mainly hospital pharmacists were chairmen of DC. In addition to the selection of drugs for the hospital formulary, the definition of therapeutic guidelines was part of the committee's responsibilities in university hospitals. Such guidelines were established in 27 % of the DC in Cantonal, in 57 % in regional and 2 of the private hospitals. All university and Cantonal hospitals issued a drug formulary. 88 % of regional and 38 % of private hospitals had this tool. This survey showed substantial differences in the organisation and functions among drug committees in Swiss hospitals. In institutions where there are no clinical pharmacologists hospital pharmacists chair the DC and make drug information available.